The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-09-10


 abyss of vacant vastness and therefore a journey to even the nearest Hxed stars would, at the rate of two hun- dred thousand miles a second. require upward of three years, which made such a jo"rney impossible, but 10 the moon, lying only two hundred and forty thousand miles, by astronomical calculations, from the earth, the soul might be transposed in breath space, almost like the thought that plunges, bird like, into those old dead craters, as we wake out of deep sleep at mid- night, blinded by the dim shadow glare, that seems to our half-awakened eyes like the thrice reflected glare of some great conhagration of hell, flung against the pearl and jasper wall of heaven.
 But to come to that which all 1 have said but preiaces. We had de- termined that Morell would make the experiment. and if successful, we would conclude further.
 So placing myself in a huge cush- toned cha r, Morell seated himself be- fore me, and instantly laying his hand upon my forehead, pressed my head back till my eyes met his, and there upon, like the sinking of sound into silence, like the rushing of waters over me, darkness and utter forgetfulness swallowed me up. remember noth- ing more till, like g knife thrust, a pain ran down on the fiery feet of fever, through the arteries of the heart, and there it fingered till my senses quailed and fainted; then al- most at the same instant sharp pang shot seemingly through the base of the brain, and by power unseen and relentless I felt myself being drawn, il seemed, through the very excretories of the flesh. An in- stant more and dazzled and dancing gleam broke upon me, and then against my own belief and senses, stood full between the body 1 had quilted and Morell, who was standing straight against the pale face of the body in the chair. It was evident he did not see me where 1 stood before him gazed into his face with a vague nameless feeling of awe; but he stared upon the face of my body, and the purple veins on his temples writhed like serpents. 1 stopped down till my eyes me this. Still he gazed steadfastly forward, evidently not aware that he had accomplished that which he was then still attempting. All the mean ing and force of this strange occasion and appearance began to come upon me; looked about the room 1 knew so well, when suddenly my eyes tell upon large plate mirror hung at the end of an alcove of books. Gazing into that clear glass the full wonder of it all burst upon me indeed. There was the clear profile of Morell's fine face and figure; There was my own body ly ing with closed eyes, but in vain 1 looked for what knew was be- tween them-myself No trace or vestige of anything was visible, but just beyond where should have been eff 1 may be allowed to express it in that manne) stood a small footstool, which, in reality, was just beyond me. As this all broke upon me, an uncon- trollable wild and utterly senseless fear came over me. sprang to my feet with a shriek that l thought should have rou ed the dead. but Morell did not move or seem to hear me at all, though to myself it sounded loud. Plainly made no such sound as affected the physical ear. Still it could not have been other than sound.
 I now began to realize my position. l was in reality out of the flesh, con- scious, perfect, in the full possession it seemed of all my faculties; there seemed to be no connection between myself and that body in the chair, none whatever. But all suddenly, as these thoughts were flashing through my mind, felt quick, irresistible impulse drawing me toward that body with which moment before I felt nothing in common. Then, just as had left it,-like rush of waters over me, as though the sword of darkness and death had pierced the heart of life,-oblivion swallowed me up.
 The next instant, it seemed, and l opened my eyes and met the half-an- gry, half-weary gaze of Morell.
 "It seems I could not do it." he said. "What sensations did you ex- perience?"
 He was not aware that he had ac- complished the experiment. I then related what had occurred, and for the first and only time saw him ex- cited. The look of weariness left his face and his eyes glowed
 And then in truth 1 have accom- plished it! It was no vain dream. I am satisfied" he exclaimed.
 Then he proceeded to tell me that he had been deceived by not experi- encing any sensation of change into the belief that he had failed, and so bod hrol tho elaa,0